Rover
The Wastelands of the world are populated by more than hordes of undead, sparse villages, and mutated beasts. Trade and information are the blood of this blasted world, it's said, and caravans are its veins. If that's true, then Rovers are the heart that keeps the whole thing pumping. Rovers are instrumental in maintaining the few caravan routs in this ravaged world. More importantly however, these extended families have thrived in places least touched by the horrors of the past, where plants still grow wild, and the shambling hordes have difficult reaching. From mountaintops to hidden ravines, the Rover families maintain stopovers from many scavengers and caravan drivers besieged by packs of Hunters or just in need of supplies. From these way stations they trade good for information and safety. And yet despite their seclusion, they maintain a healthy respect for the successes of the past, even when staring down the vacant, hungry stare of its failures. Generosity and honor bring respect, while rudeness and hoarding brings contempt. This is the encompassing ethos of Rovers, and it is for this reason that Rover hospitality is justly legendary. How well one treats their guests, charges, or employees is a measurement of a host's virtue, the worth of one's reputation. A guest can expect safety, politeness, and food when placed in the care of a Rover, even if that guest is their mortal enemy. A Rover would rather know thirst and starvation than breach the laws of hospitality. This same courtesy is expected in return, however, and it is assumed that guests will be on their best behavior and not overstay their welcome. To do otherwise is horribly rude by Rover standards. Deals and agreements are much the same- if hospitality is the civilizer of society, they are the tempered steel. Any deal a Rover makes can be counted on to be fulfilled to the letter, and punished in kind if broken. This isn't to say that all Rovers will hand the first person that asks of them everything they own, allow themselves to be taken advantage of, or cannot be the most dastardly of Merchants. They do not feel any need to offer hospitality to the undead, or bloodthirsty Raiders, or enemies openly attacking them. It does mean that they will think of themselves lesser persons to not offer the best they can do to those that come into their homes or charge. Starting Stats * Health: 8 * Mind: 8 * Infection: 4 Strain Requirements and Traits All Rovers possess a number of rules of hospitality they abide (and expects other to abide) by at all times, be it keeping weapons and boots of their tables, never spilling drink, or cleaning blood from face and weapon as soon as conflict is settled. They can be rude, angered, shunning and even unwelcoming, but such acts are reserved for those who repeatedly and willfully disregard their laws of hospitality or lay them repeated insult- Rover shunning and justice can be terrifyingly meticulous, and word spreads very quickly among all their Strain. For clothing, warm and cream colors are favored, with scarves and abundant lengths of cloth popular in any weather. It is said that many Rover caravans also use their scarves to pass discreet messages, with the color, placement and even knot-work of each sash providing such details as marital status, occupation, places visited and even local hazards to those who know how to read them. As each group has its own variations, cataloging the code is virtually impossible, making it a surprisingly secure way of passing on information. Players are encouraged to develop their own "sash code" for their character's particular family or caravan. Advantages The following skills are available for 3 points each: * Bartender's Tongue * Check Your Sleeves * Head Shrink * Melee Weapon Small Refuse * Scrounge Bond of Salt: To share food and drink with someone is to take responsibility for them, and often their well-being is more important than a tarnished reputation. Once per Twelves, a Rover may opt to lose up to 10 health to allow another to revolve the same. This advantage requires food or drink to be consumed at the Rover's home/campsite/place of business and at least 10 minutes of roleplay. Disadvantages Bond of Salt: If a Rover consumes food or drink from an individual, all skills that would adversely affect the sharer cost 2 additional Mind Points for the next hour or while they remain in their home/campsite/place or business (whichever is longer). Word of Bond: If any deal a Rover makes is broken by the other party, they will pursue justice and exact reparation until the wrong is redressed to their satisfaction, with two-fold rancor. Further, a Rover cannot willingly break a formal deal that is shaken on under any circumstances. If fate prevents them from keeping their word, they make no excuses, and will seek to right the wrong immediately, to the exclusion of all else. Skills and effects may force a Rover to fail to uphold their word; however, they still feel obligated to either complete the deal or to right the wrong.